Where the heart is
by Ticiatiger
Summary: They both had decent lives, atleast, as far as those looking from the outside could see, decent living, family, and money. That's all that, really, matters right? when Anna Anderson finds a distraught, and pregnant Elsa outside a local supermarket, neither realize that'll be the first step for the both of them to learn what love really means, and what makes a house a home.


**A/N Edit**

_so, two things I forgot to mention the first time around. this chapter was beta'd by the lovely freudianslip13, author of the lovely fic with you. if you're not reading it now, you should be. it's fluffy like a bunny rabbit, but smutty where it needs to be._

_second, this is my first fic, so Constructive critiscism in reviews will be much appreciated._

**_end transmission._**

Four months.

She was four months along into her pregnancy.

Four wonderful, blissful months.

Sure the hormones drove her, and by association her partner Jack, crazy at times but life had been easy.

But right now they were moving, which meant a dense myriad of things.

One, it meant she was definitely showing the now cannot-possibly-be-anything-other-than-a-baby-in-there bulge along her lower abdomen. Which meant she was in need of new shirts.

Alright. More new shirts.

Two, she was going to have to get used to standing still more often. Not to say she was always one for the extreme hustle and bustle of life, no, she was content to occasionally sit around, to read a decent book, while enjoying a relaxing cup of tea. But that in no way meant that she was perfectly content to become another objectified, stay at home, doting mother / housewife.

Not that there was anything wrong with that. It just wasn't who she was.

No, Elsa Frossen was not one to deny her true nature.

She never was. That's just how she has always been. So when her and her boyfriend of a rather decent amount of time; three years, though with the recent developments, all questions had shifted from "when are you getting engaged, to when are you getting married?" To, " will the baby have his last name?" Which she would always wince and shy away from. No way in hell would any being born of her flesh and blood take his last name.

She liked him well enough, but always saw him as more of a means to an end. He got her family off her back, and she got some nice perks of being his partner. It was a quid pro quo the loved they shared. Both had equal parts in stake.

Though if asked, she would say that Jack definitely cared more.

It wasn't that she didn't care for him, she did, it's just she had never exactly been an extremely feeling person.

Some called her icy, blunt, aloof, and the not so nice nor delicate ones, they called her a bitch.

In reality, she just wasn't very good with people.

She didn't know proper protocol or for certain situations, in part to her introversion, and social awkwardness, and another in part to just over all cold front, the frozen facade that she would grace the world with, every day from dawn till dusk.

Thats how she found herself here. When she found out that she was pregnant, 'missing one month? It could possibly be stress... but we should make sure, just in case it isn't.' She turned to Jack. He had always been an amicable and rowdy sort, her parents took to him well enough, and he had passed her internal testing over whether or not a person was a trustworthy sort. So when he offered to take care of her and the child, his damn pride, always failing to remember that if anything she would probably be taking care of him when it came to it. She logically decided to go with him. Give him a chance, move somewhere nicer for her and the kid.

And that was how she found herself **_here._**

In the middle of a supermarket, in the middle of some backwoods county, or rather, a fylke in the middle of Norway called Arendelle, which, oddly enough, had a decent amount of lakes and other bodies of water in it, so was rather prosperous with the quantities of fish it could export around the country, but were more than commonly enough sold in the market.

Elsa Frossen however, was not getting fish. And she was not very enthused, more amused with the man in front of her who seemed to be buying an extreme overdose of assorted marine life.

Clutching her stomach, Elsa fought against the nausea roiling in her stomach, and the bile rising in her throat. She thought it was just the fish. She knew it was probably just the pregnancy.

If only she knew more about what she felt, and not what she thought, she would have known the feeling to be impending doom.

Sighing wistfully as the man began to trudge away from the checkout, Elsa dreaded the upcoming chit chat that would unfortunately greet here in the terms of the overly perky cashier.

"Hiiiiiiiiiii there!"

Elsa winced. She knew it, she could peg people from a mile away.

He seemed nice and amicable enough, the young fellow who had greeted her. He was probably just in high school, his thin frame topped with a mop of unruly brunette hair, his eyes a warm and inviting chocolatey brown, the name tag on his shirt reading 'Olaf.'

He couldn't be too bad.

"Hi there. My name is Olaf and I'll be your bag boy today. So... new in town? Haven't seen you around before, so you must be new because everyone around here is at least somewhat vaguely familiar, and you're not really familiar at all. Unless I've forgotten you. I'm sorry. Should I know you?"

_Remember Elsa. Be kind. Be courteous, he can't be extremely bad._

"No." She responded, already beginning to feel the drain of conversation wear on her.

"So you are new in town!" His eyes seemed to almost sparkle with his exclamation.

"Well that's wonderful. And might I ask if that is a little one in there? Please don't be mad if it isn't, because I've asked quite a few women that that and lets just say," pausing to breathe, and allow his face to contort into a grimace, "It didn't end well."

She allowed herself a slight chuckle, guarded by her hand, unbidden to cover her grin. She was a dignified, and refined lady after all, she had been taught well.

Overtly glad that she had only picked up a handful of items; shoes, because her feet were swelling with all the driving, chocolate, because it was the very nectar of the gods, and quite possibly her lifeblood back in grad school when she had decided to double major, and some various snacks for Jack; because she desperately wanted to avoid the oncoming onslaught of baby centric questions. Not that she wasn't happy with the baby, no she was ecstatic, even if she didn't look it, it was just sometimes people seemed to forget that there was actually another person around the baby.

Grasping her bags, once again fighting off the onslaught of bile and dread, she huffed a few goodbyes and left the store.

If only she was more in tune with her feelings and, as knowledgeable as she hoped she was, she would have realized that dread, no matter when it is felt, is always felt for a reason.

Entering out into the parking lot she did a few quick takes looking for the barely-able-to-call-it-anything-other-than-a-scrap-heap of her boyfriends car.

Only to have to do another take.

And another.

It wasn't there.

_How hard is it to find a damn 1984 Ford Tempo? They don't even manufacture that car anymore._

No matter what, she was a logical person. She would not allow fear to take over. She could conceal her feelings. She didn't need them.

_He probably just left for a little while, he'll be back, I'm sure of it._

Her eyes stinging, her throat burning, and with her heart falling, never to stop plummeting Elsa Frossen lied to herself twice in one day, as twin trails of tears began to descend down her slender face, hugging it till they either fell off her chin or cascaded down her neck.

_Damn hormones. I'm usually so much more put together than this._

**Three times in one day.**

* * *

Anna Anderson was excited. Extremely excited. And she hadn't the faintest clue why. But that was okay because unexpected happiness usually heralded a surprise that would bring more happiness. A sort of infinite feedback loop, always creating more happiness. Thats how these kind of things worked? Right? Right.

Turning her old pick-up into the supermarket, she grabbed a few bills from the cup holder, remembering to actually lock her doors behind her as she strolled out. She didn't know how much money she needed for what she was getting. She had a list sure, but sometimes there were surprises, like sales on chocolate, or the occasional free sample day, or even... a platinum blonde woman crying on a table near the far exit of the store.

_Far exit? They have two. One near the tables that are farthest from the entrance by car, which happens to be shrouded by trees, and the other end. Which is more like a drop-off or opening than an exit. Well, I mean it always depends on-focus. Blonde woman. Crying, blonde woman, Anna. WHY IS NO ONE HELPING? SERIOUSLY. If it's a little kid, people jump in as if they were being strangled by a cobra, not realizing that more often than not kids tend to cry for attention. No. Let someone who might clearly have a problem keep crying. Its not your problem nor prerogative in life to help._

_Well, Anna. You're an adult. She doesn't look to be much older than you. Go over there and help._

_Right._

_I like this plan. Help._

Picking her way closer to the blonde, Anna Anderson felt as if she were on fire.

Her thoughts were panicking.

_OH GOD. WHAT IF SHE THINKS I'M STUPID FOR TRYING TO MAKE SURE SHES OKAY. WHAT IF SHE ACTUALLY GENUINELY NEEDS HELP AND I JUST MAKE IT WORSE? What if I make a complete and total fool of myself because she's actually a genuinely gorgeous blonde goddess with legs that go all the way up and I'm just extremely awkward annd...now I'm just standing in front of her._

Elsa could care less that someone had stopped in front of her.

**_No, you mean you couldn't care less. Unless you mean you actually want someone to help you now that you have stopped bawling like a spoiled insufferable child._**

_No._

**_No what?_**

_Just no._

As pant leg attempted to speak, (that was all Elsa could see, so as far as she was concerned that was going to be her name from now on) Elsa clutched her jacket tighter around herself, out of habit, only remembering a little too late that it was one of Jack's and didn't stretch too well over the recent addition to her otherwise slim frame.

_Why didn't I buy a new jacket when I had the chance? Who forgets to buy a decent jacket in the middle of autumn?_

_**You.**__ That's who._

Anna couldn't help but notice the action be attempted in vain, only to be followed by a serious case of involuntary shivers.

Compelled to help, Anna slipped her own jacket off her slender frame and ever so gently, like trying to soothe a wounded and startled animal, draped her jacket over the blonde.

_Way to go Anna!_

_Four for you Anna Anderson._

Surprised and startled by the intrusion of new stimuli, presented in the guise of a simple warm jacket that fit better than it should have, both encountered a moment they would never forget for as long as they lived. They saw each other.

Whipping her head up in surprise, Elsa saw strawberry blonde locks adorning a splendidly feminine and freckled face, a smile adorning thin pink lips, a smile that seemed to reach up to her eyes, which did not seem to know whether to be green or blue, so it decided to dabble with both.

The only thought in Elsa's mind seemed to be a reoccurrence of a simple yet elegant statement.

_Both. Both is good._

Anna was shocked to say the least. Pleasantly shocked to say the most.

She was right. The whitish blonde woman was a freaking goddess.

_The ancient artists themselves could have had attempted to capture her visage in a statue, but not a single one could possibly compare to true beauty when it is witnessed in the flesh and bone._

Eyes not straying too far from the orbs that held her own gaze.

They were blue. Like the deepest blue. Like water, clear crystal water frozen underneath a thick layer of ice in the dead of winter.

Her skin was pale but not sickly so, instead having an almost ethereal quality about it, as if it was crafted from moonlight itself.

With just a light dusting of freckles over nose, like stars on a full moons night.

She was beautiful and this Anna knew.

_And god. Those lips are just so thick, and red, and pouty, and I just really want see what they'd feel like own for only a second and...wait_.

Anna blinked rapidly for a few moments but a few moments was all that they needed, for the spell that had been cast was complete, and both knew what happened. They had seen each other. Truly seen each other. And no matter what, what happened next could be big.

Both women mulled over their respective options, finding they only had two.

Concede and see where the road goes from there.

Or choose to ignore it.

Both decided that the best course of action would be to ignore it.

Anna absentmindedly began rubbing her neck with her right hand while staring at her shoes. She was positively sheepish and Elsa found it positively adorable.

Anna turned for a minute, sighing, allowing her breath to collect into fog in the air. It was nearing dusk here. Clearing her throat, she tried once more to capture the attention of the stranger, who had by this point adorned her jacket as it should be worn.

"So...how're you? I mean I know you're probably not doing too well because you're crying but I mean, are you okay? Like it's not too serious right? Like you don't have cancer do you? I heard chemo is kind of cheap and all and -" Anna floundered for a moment. Floundered for a moment. She never got flustered.

_Stupid leggy blonde_.

Elsa couldn't help the ensuing scoff nor the impending giggle. "Do you really think that I would be this big around if I had cancer?"

A single red eyebrow rose in incredulous disbelief.

"You're not big. Hell, you're barely a pant size or two bigger than I am. The only big thing about you has to be your tits. N-n-not that I was looking. Because I wasn't."

_Stupid sexy leggy blonde. Anna you useless lesbian. You're trying to help her, not sweep her off her feet and take her home with you. Besides. She's probably straight._

To the relief of the flustered party, the blonde seemed to be lost in thought, staring absentmindedly at her lower abdomen, not noticing a blush adorning the freckled cheeks of her company.

Elsa was flustered, a blush creeping its way over her features.

_I mean I always knew I was small and somewhat lithe before the pregnancy, and I know there are cases where some people don't really show that much, but those are rare cases. People who get decent workouts and exercise that portion of their body regularly. Maybe its just not noticeable from the front._

Elsa ruffled the borrowed article of clothing and opened it up to offer a better view.

"Maybe," she began, trying to hide the timbre of trepidation and anxiety in her voice, "you could see it better from the sides."

**_It?_** Now Anna was intrigued. So around the blonde she circled. And as realization set in, Anna noticed the definition of a now more noticeable bump; a look of awe enraptured her features, much like that of a child seeing themselves in a funhouse mirror for the first time.

She couldn't help but giggle.

It was just like magic.

From one angle the bump was there, then another presto chango goodbye preggo.

_Yeah. She's definitely straight. But that does explain why her tits are... just... damn._

Elsa herself began to giggle. She didn't know why but she actually enjoyed the ginger girl and her antics. She amused and distracted her, and both were welcome to her life.

Unfortunately the next few questions would not be what she needed.

A grimace adorned her features, gone before the ginger could even notice.

"So..." the ginger began.

And so the baby onslaught begins.

"I'm guessing the crying did not have anything to do with hormones?"

Elsa could feel herself fizzle. Her mouth formed a little 'o' while her eyes widened in shock, all the while her brain just stuttered, ' I-I'm sorry. I'm confused.'

Reigning and reeling herself back in, she put as much elegance in her statement.

"No. It was not."

"Ah. Well then...why were you crying?"

Elsa sighed. She had no clue why she was willing to trust the young girl. She just didn't know why. Maybe it was because she actually seemed to care about her. Maybe it was because at this moment she was weak, and emotional, and vulnerable, and she didn't think that the young woman had a malevolent or malicious bone in her body. Maybe it was because she liked the young girl. Maybe it was because of what had happened between the two. She didn't know.

She just knew that she trusted her and that she could no longer say she was an excellent judge of character.

Elsa sighed, exasperated, allowing her breath to swirl around her for a moment, absentmindedly placing her hand overtop her swollen belly.

_I have to trust someone._

_**Don't I?**_

"The father left me."

Without missing a beat the redhead retorted.

"That little dick weasel."

A blonde eyebrow rose in shock.

"Excuse me?"

The redhead splayed her hands together and cradled the back of her head in the palm of her hands.

"Screw him. Screw that little dick weasel for leaving you. He'll get what's coming to him, I'm sure of it."

Elsa chuckled. She really like the spirited redhead.

"I hope so but for now, I'm stuck here."

Arms now dangling limply and loosely at her sides, Anna's eyebrows shot into her hairline.

"What do you mean?"

Elsa sighed, beginning to become exhausted and exasperated after all that had culminated in this day.

"He left me. The father. He left me here."

Eyebrows lowered. Teal eyes shimmered blue and darkened with an almost effervescent empathic sadness.

"Oh."

_C'mon Anna is that the best you can do?_

"You've got somewhere to stay right?"

A pause.

Too long of a pause.

"... No. And before you ask, no I cannot call my family. They wouldn't exactly want to see me at the moment as it is."

The blonde muttered defeatedly, letting her head fall into her chest.

Anna was stubborn. And determined.

And she had a plan. She wanted to do it, so she was going to do it.

Elsa had no clue what was going on, something warm was grabbing her hand and yanking her up, pulling her where she didn't want to go.

It was the ginger, dragging them in the direction of a pickup truck.

"What are you doing?"

She screech whispered, eyes growing wide with shock and confusion.

She dropped the hand that was holding hers unceremoniously, as if it were something vile or disgusting.

The redhead whirled around hurt and awkwardness evident on her face.

"I'm taking you back to my house."

She uttered ever so nonchalantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Elsa was more than startled by now.

"WHAT!?"

The ginger just shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

"You're coming with me to my house. Got plenty of room. And plenty of rooms."

Elsa was perplexed as to how she could just be so calm about completely trusting a stranger and allowing her to come into her home.

But all she could think of to ask was, "Why?"

The redhead just sort of scratched the back of her head absentmindedly, looking at her shoes as if they were the most fascinating things in the world.

"Well. You need help. I can help. So why not help?"

Elsa was torn. A part of her wanted to hug the girl, while the other part wanted to cry. She settled on neither.

"We don't even know each others names," she said, a slight smirk gracing her features.

Anna laughed. Full out laughed.

"Well," she wheezed when she finally had a reprieve to breathe. "My name is Anna."

She said, extending her hand, "what's yours?"

_**Anna. **__Her name suits her personality._

_Bubbly and feisty all in one package._

The blonde returned the gesture, lips upturned in a grin. A true, warm, happy grin.

"Elsa. Nice to meet you."

_Elsa, huh? Pretty name for an even prettier face._

"Likewise," she said instead.

As their hands joined, Anna splayed her fingers through Elsa's, once again beginning to drag her along behind her.

This time Elsa didn't pull away, not even to stop holding hands.

The pickup truck was a faded red color, orange in most places where the rust shone through.

As Anna fumbled with her keys, she stammered out a profuse amount of apologies.

She wasn't trying to impress her or anything. She just felt bad that of all times to pick up a pregnant stranger, she had to drive the least baby safe car.

"I'm sorry for the mess. And the hunk-of-junk truck. I usually don't drive the truck but you know, it kind of relaxes me. I know weird right, a truck...relaxing? Most people see them as screaming metal death traps. At least when they're this old. And littered with fast food wrappers. OHH God, I'm trying to shove a pregnant woman in an unsanitary vehicle, I'm so sorry, I swear my house is better, and nicer- annnd..."

Flustered and fumbling, Anna would have continued if not for the slight chuckle that was beginning to accompany her ramblings. Anna shoulders drooped, and she allowed herself to finally breathe, after holding it for who knows how long. She did it discretely of course. Didn't want to scare of her new quest by gasping like a fish on land.

Elsa couldn't help but be amused by Anna's antics. She just wanted to do so well by her. It was endearing really.

"It's fine." She stated. Once again capturing the attention of teal eyes that had turned shoeward. She was glad to see that Anna was beginning to calm down. Panic didn't suit the red head. Bubbly did.

Anna opened the drivers side door, climbed in, and shoved the keys in the ignition. It was an old truck so the keys didn't have the buttons to unlock the doors.

Anna wormed her way over the cup holder and various other things inside of the in-betweens between the passenger and driver side.

Anna opened the door from the inside, pulling up the lock and opening the door for Elsa.

She held out her hand, not caring whether Elsa cared or needed her help getting up and in. She just wanted to be helpful.

Elsa happily took Anna's hand, which was welcoming and warm compared to hers, cold from being outside for so long in foul whether, and hoisted herself inside. She was happy that the redhead was smiling again. It was nice having someone who cared about her who she could actually feel cared about her. Elsa was happy to know that she was right when it came to her judge of character.

Anna adjusted the mirrors, turned the keys, and let out one last shaky breath. Turning to face Elsa and darting one of her hands to grasp one of Elsa's own, rubbing soothing circles in the back of it all the while after Elsa seemed to stiffen a bit at the contact.

She didn't generally like contact, especially with strangers, but Anna was helping her and her ministrations weren't exactly too far from soothing. She chanced an awkward glance and smiled back Anna's way and was rewarded with a warm sheepish one in kind. As Anna began to pulled away, she threw the tiniest of smirks Elsa's way and couldn't help but leave with one last statement.

"C'mon Elsa. Let's go home."


End file.
